Ebenezer Gets Mixed Reviews Ahead of Theatrical Release
Johnny Depp's return to Hollywood after an eight-year absence arrives in a dark, Gothic take on the Scrooge story.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in Horror
Ti West's dark comedy Ebenezer, written by Nathaniel Halpern, opens in theaters the week of November 12, 2026, with a 54% Rotten Tomatoes score based on 56 reviews. The film marks Johnny Depp's return to Hollywood after an eight-year absence.
Why it matters
The mixed critical reception places Ebenezer in a crowded field of Scrooge adaptations, and it faces competition from another Scrooge movie already in theaters. Its reviews will help determine whether a darker, Gothic reinterpretation of the classic story can draw audiences in a holiday release window.
Rotten Tomatoes critic aggregation places Ebenezer at 54% from 56 reviews, below The Muppet Christmas Carol at 79% and Scrooge with Albert Finney at 71%. The extraction does not include box office figures or audience ratings for the film.
The players
Ti West
Ti West is the director of Ebenezer, a filmmaker known for horror and genre films.
Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp is an actor who returns to Hollywood with Ebenezer after an eight-year absence from the industry.
Ian McKellen
Ian McKellen is a veteran British actor who plays Jacob Marley in Ebenezer.
The details
Ebenezer takes a dark, Gothic thriller approach to the Scrooge story rather than holiday cheer, and it gives Scrooge stronger arguments instead of portraying him as a cruel miser. Rupert Grint plays Bob Cratchit and Ian McKellen plays Jacob Marley.
Timeline
Week of November 12, 2026: Ebenezer arrives in theaters.
Industry Dynamics
Ebenezer's 54% score falls below The Muppet Christmas Carol at 79% and Scrooge with Albert Finney at 71%, placing it behind two established Dickens adaptations. Its dark tone departs from those films and tests whether audiences want a grimmer holiday retelling in the current film market.
Ebenezer opens in theaters the week of November 12, 2026, so moviegoers who want to see the dark Scrooge reinterpretation can catch it on the big screen during that week. The mixed reviews mean readers can weigh the 54% critic score against the film's Gothic approach before deciding whether to buy a ticket.
The takeaway
A darker Scrooge can divide critics even when it draws on a famous story, so reviews are worth checking against your own taste for Gothic horror before choosing a holiday film.
Further reading
For more on dark genre takes on classic stories, see Horror coverage.
